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Jacksonville, Florida Man Arrested for Battery on Golf Green

James Alonzo Hines of Jacksonville, Florida was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly attacked fellow golfers at Jacksonville Beach Municipal Golf Course. Alonzo, 61, was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon following the incident, news sources indicate. He was reportedly released from jail on an undisclosed bail amount shortly afterwards. It is not clear whether Mr. Hines has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

According to reports, the incident occurred on Jacksonville Beach Municipal Golf Course’s 18th green on Saturday afternoon. Donald Salsbery was celebrating his upcoming nuptials with a group of five friends, according to Murdock Hampe, 27, a friend of Salsbery’s who was involved in the fight. Michael Hankin, 25, was reportedly also in the celebratory party. The names of the others in the group are not immediately available.

Hampe told the press that he and the rest of the group had gone out for drinks at a nearby bar before meeting Salsbery for a round of golf. He reported that none of the members of the group were intoxicated, but that some of them had just learned how to play golf.

Hines was golfing with three other older persons, one man and two women, according to one witness. The witness told the press that the older group was upset because of the younger group was allegedly not playing golf properly and was too slow. The fight allegedly began with a verbal argument between the two groups after the elder party began shouting at the bachelor party.

Sources indicate that Hines started hitting golf balls at the bachelor party with a golf club from approximately 200 yards away, and that one of the younger group threw one of the balls at Hines. Hines then allegedly drove a golf cart into the younger group “as fast as it could go,” according to one witness. Hampe told the press that he jumped out of the way of the golf cart, only to be struck on the head by a golf club wielded by Hines. Hampe said that cart struck Michael Hankin, who was pinned to another golf cart.
The witness says that he intervened after Hines ran the golf club into the group and he and his companions started swinging golf clubs, grabbing the clubs and telling them to stop. Police reportedly arrived soon after most of the group fell into a sand trap. Salsbury reportedly told authorities that some of the members of his group had tackled Hines, who was allegedly out of control.

Hampe, Hankin, and Hines all reportedly sustained injuries in the altercation, although it is not clear whether they sought medical treatment. Hampe told the press that he was hit over the head with a golf club as well as a swollen leg where Hines’ golf cart struck him. Hankin was pinned to another golf cart in the altercation, sources indicate. Hines was described as ‘bloodied’ by a witness following the fight.

It is not clear whether Jacksonville Beach Municipal Golf Course has released a comment regarding the incident.